APPLICATION OF THE FIVE LEGAL MAXIMS OF THE SHARĪᶜAH INTHE WORKS OF SHAYKH ᶜUTHMĀN IBN FODIO

Abstract

Shaykh Uthmān bn Fodio, a reformer and eminent scholar, made remarkable contributions to the
field of Islamic jurisprudence and Islamic sciences in general. However, his contributions to the
science of Legal Maxims of Islamic Jurisprudence (al-Qawāᶜidu-l-Fiqhiyyah) remain largely
hidden. Legal maxims are concise yet comprehensive principles derived by Muslim scholars from
the Qur'an, Sunnah, and juristic reasoning to ensure the continued relevance, flexibility, and
universality of Islamic law, as they are used to address emerging issues for which explicit textual
evidence is lacking. Therefore, this research aims to examine the application of the legal maxims,
especially the five universal maxims, in Ibn Fodio's works. The historical method is employed to
present Ibn Fodio's biographical sketch, while the analytical method is used to reveal his approach to
the application of the five legal maxims in his writings. The research reveals that Ibn Fodio did not
author a dedicated treatise on legal maxims. Still, his various works demonstrate a consistent and
extensive application of those maxims in diverse fields such as jurisprudence, spirituality, social
reform and governance. It also shows that Ibn Fodio employed these maxims both explicitly and
implicitly in issuing fatāwa and shaping religious practices.